Review: TIMELESS is Worth your Time
[All photos by Joe Lederer/NBC]
Timeless is at least worth the time to take a look at, go for a test run, kick its tires, see if you like it.
The premise is simple, but it promises to get complicated soon and eventually turn into a snarled ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff, as the Doctor would say. A mysterious villain runs off with a secret government project, a time machine. It is a machine that one travels through time in, as opposed to a machine that sends one through time bodily but stays put, a portal through time, or a tea that sends you through time only in your own mind. It’s easier to steal because it’s a machine that takes you through time. Luckily it’s not their only prototype. A team is quickly assembled to travel back through time to find the thief.
Our main character is a historian, Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer). She is chosen for her intensive knowledge of history but there is a hint that there is another, secret reason. She is smart and plucky, but what I like best about the character is that she was leading a normal life before she suddenly gets the call to adventure.
The very handsome Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) is their military guy. He seems to be good at everything, which will be a draw for the competency junkies among us. His heart is filled with woe, though. Nothing better than a good looking guy with angst and a James Bond streak.
The most reluctant member of the team is Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett), who points out, “I am black. There is literally no place in American history that will be awesome for me.” But they need him as a pilot and engineer and he bravely goes through time with them.
Our villain, Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic), has mysterious plans and may not be as villainous as he seems.
The story was fast paced. There were a couple of spectacular scenes and not to give too much away, a bit of a twist at the end.
Another reason to give Timeless a chance is that it was created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural, Revolution), Shawn Ryan (The Shield) and the producers of The Blacklist. Supernatural (which I recap) is going on twelve seasons now. Revolution didn’t fare as well. Kripke tends towards strong relationships and deeply layered internal mythology, which are two things I like in a series.
Maia Ades, a contributor to the site, also liked it. She said, “I thought the characters are already interesting.” She was impressed with the art direction. Maia felt that the different sets all had a different feel to them, and that going back into the past was an immersion in that time period.
Timeless will premiere on NBC on Oct. 3. It will air on Mondays at 10 pm/9 Central. To see a preview, go to the NBC site.
I watched “Timeless” also and I pretty much agree with your assessment on it. It has appealing characters, it has promise. It won’t make me break up with the time travel series I am in love with (“12 Monkeys”) but it is, as you say, worth my time.